À Babi la Belle

lille3000 is presenting the À Babi la Belle exhibition at Maison St So, in partnership with Éditions du Seuil publishing house. The project is part of the revival of the photo-story genre and is inspired by the April 2025 publication of Les Amours de Machérie, by Marguerite Abouet, author of the famous Aya de Yopougon, and photographer Kader Diaby, a rising figure on the Ivory Coast photographic scene. Actors Albin de la Simone and Izabella Maya appear in the photo-story. The exhibition offers a participative version of this amusing adventure in the streets of Abidjan!

This original project involves inviting the public to take a wander through the sets of Marguerite Abouet’s photo-story. Visitors can use a “photo studio” setup to take selfies in specially designed spaces, with printed backgrounds from Kader Diaby’s photographs. Each space reproduces a key place from the book and everyday life in Abidjan, such as a family lounge or a hairdresser’s, allowing participants to place themselves in scenes inspired by the writer’s story.

The exhibition also lets visitors walk along a corridor transformed into a busy street in Abidjan, full of fabrics and sounds recorded for the exhibit. This plunges them into the vibrant and colourful atmosphere of a district in the Ivory Coast, enjoying a sensory experience, where they are fully immersed in the unique ambiance of the city.

Photo Novel Workshops

Dive into the world of Marguerite Abouet’s photo novel Les Amours de Machérie! 
On your own, with your family or with friends, come and try your hand at photo novels right in the heart of the exhibition at Maison St So. Find out more about the exhibition and the photo novel, then create your own story by posing in the settings. With these workshops, the photo novel will hold no secrets for you!

Ages 7 and up. With the support of the Lille Institute of Photography.

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↑ © Kader Diaby